Do what has to get done

There is inattentiveness to the distinction between concrete targets and abstract targets. Concrete targets are closing Guantanamo, fixing toxic assets at Wall Street banks and ending the Gulf oil mess. Abstract targets are implementing health-care, immigration legislation and eliminating waste in government.

The major distinction is that it takes different people to achieve concrete targets than abstract targets. You have surrounded yourself with people like you, policy wonks, masters of abstract policy. That’s why you need your mother-in-law in your domestic life. She understands what it takes to accomplish concrete targets. You don’t.

Geithner has not yet addressed the devalued securitized mortgages booked at the major banks. Because you know nothing about accounting, you don’t understand that the banks made provisions for the devaluation, which they booked but never addressed the book value of the securitized mortgages. This was the downfall of the banks but Geithner never cleaned it up. He overpaid the banks on their claims for credit default swaps which digs the national debt deeper yet never used TARP for it’s intended purpose. To make you eat your own words - Geithner didn’t think through the consequences of his actions. You said this kind of conduct angers you. I hope you are empathetic to my anger. This problem has not gone away, could come back and contributes to the slow recovery of the housing market. This is not policy it is basic accounting, a concrete subject.

The closing of Guantanamo is fixed goal, there are no excuses. That it festers reflects weak, ineffective management.

Ending the Gulf oil mess is a fixed goal, it must not fester.

The bottom line is that real men do what has to get done. Failures are people like G.W.Bush and you, overwhelmed and helpless. Bush the “decider”, Obama the “guy in charge”.

I told you so.